Signaling apparatus



{No Model.)

W. H. HALL.

SGNALING APPARATUS.

No. .505;02. Patented sept. 19,1893.

"i NITLED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM H. HALL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

SIGNALING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming pari'. of Letters Patent No. 505,102, datedSeptember 19, 1893.

Application iiled January 3, 1893. Serial No. 457,050- (No model.)

To all whom. it may concern,.- i

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. HALL, of Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovementsin Signaling Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to means for producing different colored lightsof large area and great intensity by the use of a single lamp orilluminating device, and is particularly adapted for railway signals.

In the construction of devices for railway signals it is essential thatthe rays of light should be cast in a plane parallel to the railwaytrack or other structure with which the signal is employed.

I have provided a device wherein a single lamp or illuminating means iscombined with lenses in such manner that the light is greatlyintensified, magnified or increased in illuminating power and the raysof light pass from the device horizontally or parallel to the surface ofthe earth.

In carrying out my invention I employ a lamp or other suitableilluminating device which is arranged within a tubular case preferablyin the form of the frustum of a cone, which is pivoted or hinged so thatits end may be moved to register with two or more tubes or cylinders,having arranged therein at their outer ends large disks, said disksbeing of different colors.

A magnifying lens is placed in the lamp tube, preferably near the iiameand the light is thus intensied or magnified many fold.

Prisms are placed within the tubes or cylinders containing the disks onwhich the rays of light issuing from the lens in the lamp tube arethrown, said prisms being so ground and set at such angle as to correctthe refracted rays of light and cause them to issue through the coloreddisks in the ends of the tubes parallel to the earths surface.

I preferably arrange the pivot of the lamp tube in the vertical plane ofthe lamp, the tube being of such lengthand so mounted that but a shortrange of movement is necessary to bring it to register with either ofthe larger tubes containing the colored disks and prisms. The tubescontaining the prisms and colored disks are preferably made offr'ustoconical form, the smaller ends being placed opposite the open endof the lamp case.

The lamp case is practically balanced on its pivotand the application ofslight force will be suicient to move it so as to cause its small end toregister with either of the stationary tubes. The range of movementbeing short and the motive force necessary being slight, the apparatus'is particularly adapted to be operated electrically with a smallbattery and short armature movement or by a short electrical contactsuch as would be given by a passing train running at a high rate ot'speed where but one contact is possible, these capabilities being of theutmost importance in the operation of railway signals.

Theaccompanyingdrawingisasectionalelevation through the signal case,tubes, lenses, reflector, colored disks, and prisms, the lamp and a partot the operating rod being shown in elevation, the latter broken away.

In the drawing A represents a suitable housing in which the device ismounted.

B represents the lamp tube which is in form the frustum of a cone, thelamp C being placed near the larger end thereof which is closed by areflector D. Immediately in front of the lamp and. at right anglesthereto is arranged a refracting lens E. The tube B is pivotallymounted, its pivot being so arranged that the tube and the parts carriedtherein are balanced on the pivot so that but slight motive force isnecessary to rock the tube upon its pivot. As shown the pivot pin issupported by the bracket F.

G is an operating rod which may be moved by any suitable force eithermechanical, electrical or pneumatic.

H and I represent respectively two tubes each of which is in form thefrustum of a cone and arranged radially with reference to the pivot ofthe tube B which contains the lamp. In their outer ends are placed thedisks K and L, which are of different colors. Immediately behind saiddisks are arranged the prisms M and N.`A The smaller ends ot the largertubes containing the colored disks are formed in the arc of a circle sothat the movable tube B may be brought to register with IOO either ofthem Without permitting any opening through which the rays of light mayescape.

The operation of the device is as followsz The rays of light from thelamp pass through the refractinglens and are greatly magnified therebyand the intensified light is directed into the tube containing the prismand eolored disk with which the lamp tube then registers. The rays oflight thus thrown into this tube are first straightened by the prism andthen pass through the colored disk in a plane parallel with the bottomWall of the case which will usually be arranged parallel with the earthssurface. Where more than two colors are desired other tubes may bemounted in the same manner and yet be Within practical range of the lamptube which can be so mounted upon its pivot as to be brought to registerwith additional tubes Without interfering with the lamp or illuminatingdevice. By mounting the lamp on the bottom of the movable tube insteadof mounting it upon an independent base it Will always maintain the samerelative position to the reflector, lens and prisms; and by arrangingthe pivot immediately beneath the lamp thus mounted on the bottom of thetube, the movement which the lamp itself will make, when the tube isbrought to register with the different station# ary tubes, is so slightas not t0 interfere with it in any manner, no matter how quick themovement of the tube may be made.

By means of the apparatusabove described a single lamp or otherilluminating agent of small candle power may be made efficient toproduce various colored lights of large area and great intensity bymoving the lamp case ashort distance only.

I claiml. In an apparatus for casting different colored lights, thecombination with a pivoted case, a lamp or other suitable illuminatingagent mounted within the case, a lens arranged Within the lamp case infront `of the lamp and a plurality of stationary cases'having their openends Within the range of movement of the lamp case, colored disksmounted in said cases and prisms also arranged in said cases forstraightening the rays of light, substantially as described.

2. In a signal apparatus, the combination with a lamp case having itspivot arranged below the lamp, a reflector arranged behind the lamp, alens arranged within the lamp case in front of the lamp, a plurality ofstationary cases each containing at its frontend a disk, the respectivedisks being of different colors, and the rear ends of said disk casesbeing within the range of movement of the lamp case, and prisms arrangedWithin the disk cases for straightening the rays of light, substantiallyas described.

3. In a signal apparatus the combination with a lamp case havingconverging Walls, a reector, a lamp and a lens mounted within said caseand the latter being s0 pivoted as to balance upon its pivot, andaplurality of stationary cases having converging walls and eachcontaining a disk anda prism, the small end of the lamp case beingadapted when the latter is moved on its pivot to be brought to registerwith the small end of either of the stationary cases, substantially asdescribed.

4. In a signaling apparatus the combination with a lamp case having alamp, a' reflector and a lens mounted therein, said 'case being pivotedand an operating rod pivotally connected to the lamp case whereby thecase, lamp, reflector and lens may be moved in unison, and a pluralityof stationary cases each containing a disk and a prism and having openends within the range of the Inovement of the lamp case whereby the raysof light may be directed through either of said stationary cases atwill, substantially as described.

WILLIAM II. HALL;

Witnesses:

C. C. LINTHICUM, FREDERICK C. GOODWIN.

